Palmer ready for Norco's OK on Chrin recreational plans

Palmer Township to submit plans for changes at the Chrin Community Center.

Palmer Township to submit plans for changes at the Chrin Community Center. (Morning Call file photo)

Christy PotterSpecial to The Morning Call

Palmer ready to submit plans for Chrin Community Center fields

Palmer Township is ready for Northampton County to sign off on plans to expand recreational opportunities at the Chrin Community Center complex.

Supervisors voted unanimously Monday night to send the latest plans — with a couple of minor changes since last month's meeting — to the county for approval. The project is being funded in part with a county grant matched by the township.

The only changes since Brian Dillman, engineer with the Pidcock Co. of Allentown, presented revised plans to the supervisors in March is the elimination of about 75 parking spaces and a small piece of road connecting that parking lot to another.

The concept for the complex started nearly 10 years ago, when the township began toying with ideas for what to do with the 35 acres surrounding the Chrin Community Center, which opened in 2006. In the past few years, the township has acquired 16 additional acres on the site.

While the original plans being considered included basketball and tennis courts, those ideas were scrapped after neighbors complained that such courts, particularly basketball, are magnets for older kids to hang out and potentially cause trouble.

There was also concern about the lighting necessary on athletic fields and the possible intrusion into homes in the area.

After much discussion among supervisors, the athletic association, the recreation board and the public, plans were revised and what had been proposed as basketball and tennis courts would now be two multipurpose turf fields, suitable for soccer, lacrosse and field hockey. There are also several parking areas of various sizes.

After Pidcock's presentation in March, the plans went to the recreation board for review and approval, and with the two minor changes suggested, Township Manager Chris Christman will submit them to Northampton County.

"We need to make sure the county's going to be good with it," Supervisors Chairman Dave Colver said. "We have every expectation that they will be, but we need to make sure."

Dan McKinney, director of parks and recreation, said part of what the county is looking for is a walking path that circles the complex.

"Part of the county's deal is finishing the walking path," he said. "We may meet resistance from them if we don't. And it makes sense — a walking path is for all ages."

If the county gives Palmer the anticipated nod, the township will be able to move into the next phase of the project, although Colver cautioned against thinking anything would happen fast.

"This isn't something that's happening this year or, I hate to say it, maybe even next year," he said. "It takes between six and nine months to even get a permit to start anything."

Still, he said, now that the plans have the blessing of the athletic association and the recreation board, at least the township has a concrete plan in place.

The first phase of the project is estimated to cost around $1 million, and Colver said between surplus bond money and the county grant, the township will be able to pay for it without borrowing.